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Controller for agricultural sprayers

  • US 5,924,239 A
  • Filed: 04/24/1997
  • Issued: 07/20/1999
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/25/1994
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. Method for the spot-application of a spray to green weeds or other green plants in an agricultural field, characterized by the following procedural steps:

  • viewing an area of ground with a colour sensing means, the colour sensing means being effective to scan the area in pixelated fashion and to issue three signals, in respect of each pixel in turn of the scanned area, the three signals being dependent, respectively, upon the amount of Red, Green and Blue light reaching the colour sensing means at that pixel;

    comparing the Green signal of a pixel with the Red signal and the Blue signal of the pixel, according to a predetermined algorithm relating the said three signals in respect of each pixel of the scanned area and deeming the pixel to have a "green" status or a "not green" status in accordance with the comparison;

    assimilating the statuses of the pixels in a patch of the pixels, the extent of the patch being defined in that the pixels making up the patch are linked to the other pixels in the patch in accordance with a predetermined degree of spacial and temporal proximity to each other within the scanned area;

    comparing the aggregate of statuses of the pixels of the patch with a predetermined value, and of deeming the status of the patch to be "green" or "not green" in accordance with the comparison; and

    in respect of each of a plurality of spray heads operating a spray head to produce a pulse of spray over a patch in accordance with the patch having the status of "green".

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